Colts Sign QB Philip Rivers To Active Roster
DECEMBER 13: The Colts officially signed Rivers to their active roster from their practice squad, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. They could have used practice squad elevations for the next three games – after this week’s drama, no team would dare poach him – but he seems poised to start for the rest of the season. If that is the case, adding him to the active roster now makes sense.
The move also cements one of the most ironic aspects of Rivers’ decision to come out of retirement. He was a semi-finalist to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year; now, he will not be eligible until 2031.
DECEMBER 12: Once Philip Rivers‘ deal with the Colts was officially in place, attention turned to the matter of when he would play. The now-unretired passer looks to be on course to make his NFL return this Sunday. 
Rivers has practiced each of the past two days, and ESPN’s Stephen Holder notes it is clear which quarterback the Colts are preparing to get the nod for Week 15. Barring an unforeseen development, Rivers will be in place against the Seahawks. Provided that proves to be the case, it will add further to one of the NFL’s most interesting and unexpected stories in recent memory.
Daniel Jones‘ Achilles tear ended his impressive debut season in Indianapolis and left the Colts thin on the QB depth chart. Backup Anthony Richardson remains on injured reserve, while sixth-round rookie Riley Leonard suffered a PCL sprain in Week 14 upon taking over from Jones. Brett Rypien is on the active roster after spending time on the practice squad, but Rivers is viewed as a better option for leading the Colts back into a playoff spot down the stretch.
Comebacks have been considered on more than one occasion in the 44-year-old’s case, but this is the first which has come to bear. Rivers immediately expressed interest in a second Colts stint upon being contacted by the team this past Sunday, as detailed by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Rivers and head coach Shane Steichen (who worked together during their shared time with the Chargers) have remained in contact since their time together ended, with the former using the latter’s offense on the high school team he coaches.
Rivers will presumably reprise his role as the head coach of his eldest son’s HS team next fall. Before that point, however, he is in line to briefly resume his NFL playing career. Doing so will restart the eight-time Pro Bowler’s five-year waiting period with respect to eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In the meantime, Rivers will aim to guide the Colts to a win against a Seahawks defense which ranks near the top of the NFL in several categories.
Indianapolis sits at 8-5, an illustration of how far the team has fallen from a hugely successful start to the campaign. With the Jaguars (9-4) and Texans (8-5) firmly in contention for the AFC South title, a home playoff game is far less certain than it once looked. Securing a wild-card spot will be a strong challenge in its own right, and if the Colts are to achieve that feat it appears Rivers will be tasked with handling QB1 duties right away.
Todd Bowles Addresses Job Security Questions; Bucs HC’s Future Uncertain?
Last night’s collapse resulted in the Buccaneers losing to the Falcons. As a result, Tampa Bay’s playoff outlook has continued to take a turn for the worse. 
The Bucs were 6-2 and comfortably atop the NFC South when they entered their bye week. Since then, very little has gone according to plan. Tampa Bay has gone 1-5 since the bye, and the team’s defense in particular has regressed. That unit ranks 31st in the NFL in points allowed over the past six weeks (h/t Fox Sports’ Greg Auman).
Especially given head coach Todd Bowles‘ defensive background, criticism of his 2025 performance has steadily increased. In charge of the team since Bruce Arians stepped aside in 2022, Bowles and the Buccaneers have won the division every year in that span. With another NFC South crown seriously in doubt, though, the matter of job security was something Bowles was asked about in the wake of yesterday’s game.
“I don’t think I worry about it at all,” the 62-year-old said when speaking about his status with the Bucs (video link). “It doesn’t creep into the locker room. Players play and coaches coach. I got more years behind me than I do ahead of me. I think we’re in a situation where we’re right back in it and our only focus is on winning a ball game.”
Bowles served as Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator for three years before Arians retired from the sidelines. Since then, the Buccaneers have gone 34-31. Tampa Bay’s three straight playoff appearances have only produced one postseason win, and it remains to be seen if reaching (let alone advancing past) the wild-card round will be possible in 2025.
With that in mind, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times states Bowles can indeed be counted as one of the coaches currently on the hot seat. A firing this late in the season should not be expected, of course, especially considering the fact the Buccaneers are still in contention for top spot in their division. Still, Stroud’s assertion is noteworthy given the investment the team recently made on the sidelines.
In June, Bowles and general manager Jason Licht each received contract extensions. Bowles is on the books through 2028 as a result, so a dismissal in his case would have a financial impact for many years. Nevertheless, it will no doubt be something mentioned throughout the coming weeks if Tampa Bay falls short of a playoff spot in 2025.
Jets To Start QB Brady Cook In Week 15
The Jets’ quarterback injuries will result in a third different passer receiving a start in 2025. Brady Cook will get the nod for Week 15, head coach Aaron Glenn announced on Friday. 
Both Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields have been sidelined during practice this week. As they recover, Cook will make his first career start on Sunday. The undrafted rookie has been able to participate in practice in recent days, with the same also being true of Adrian Martinez (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini).
As such, a Cook-Martinez tandem will be in place at the QB spot on Sunday against the Jaguars. Cook replaced Taylor last week, allowing him to see his first regular season game action. For at least one week, Cook will now be tasked with handling quarterback duties during a full contest. Sunday’s game does not carry playoff implications for New York but it will for Jacksonville.
The 9-4 Jags are competing for top spot in the AFC South down the stretch. The Jets, meanwhile, are one of eight teams entering Week 15 with either two or three wins. Where the team winds up in the first-round draft order will of course be critical given New York’s need for a long-term quarterback investment.
Fields began the season atop the depth chart, but his struggles in the passing game resulted in Taylor taking over. Fields was surprised by his benching, and he has expressed an expectation for future starting opportunities. The free agent addition is under contract for 2026, but a parting of ways would not surprise many in his case. Taylor, 36, is set to reach the open market this spring.
The Jets’ new HC-GM combo of Glenn and Darren Mougey will therefore have the opportunity to rebuild at the quarterback position this offseason. Part of their planning at the position, of course, will be dictated by how Cook and – if he manages to see the field – Martinez perform late in the campaign. At least one could provide depth under center for 2026 depending on how the next several months play out.
Signed to a futures contract in January, Martinez was waived by the Jets during roster cutdowns. The former UDFA wound up joining the 49ers and making one appearance with them. Earlier this week, Martinez returned to New York via a practice squad deal to give the team a healthy option. That will see him dress for Week 15, but it will be Cook leading the offense on Sunday.
Jets, C Josh Myers Agree To Extension
Josh Myers will not reach the open market in March. The veteran center has a new deal in place with the Jets, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. 
Team and player have agreed to a two-year, $11MM extension, per Fowler. He adds this new pact contains $6MM in guaranteed money. Myers was on course for free agency after signing a one-year pact with New York this past spring. Instead, he will remain in place as the team aims for stability up front. This contract places Myers 13th in terms of AAV for centers.
A second-round pick of the Packers in 2021, Myers played out his rookie contract with Green Bay. During that time, he started all 56 of his appearances and – aside from his debut season – avoided any lengthy absences. Nevertheless, inconsistent showings on the field resulted in the Ohio State product only securing a $2MM deal from the Jets during his first trip to free agency. Myers has now landed a notable raise on his third NFL contract.
PFF has not graded any of Myers’ five seasons favorably, and his 53.6 mark for 2025 is the lowest of his career. The 27-year-old has remained consistent in that regard, however, and he will be expected to maintain his current level of play through the 2027 season. As a result of this agreement, the Jets have four of their cuttent starting offensive linemen under contract through at least next year.
That includes tackles Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou, taken in the first round of the past two drafts. Left guard John Simpson is a pending free agent, so it is unclear if he will continue playing alongside Myers beyond the final four games of the current season. Another projected vacancy up front for next year is at the right guard spot, as Alijah Vera-Tucker is set to see his rookie contract expire this spring. The oft-injured blocker is currently set to reach the market after missing the entire 2025 season.
That will deal a major blow to Vera-Tucker’s value, and it remains to be seen if he will remain in New York or move on in March. Regardless of what happens on that front, though, Myers will be counted on to continue operating as a full-time starter up front for a Jets team seeking improvements on offense for 2026 and beyond.
NFL Mailbag: Mayfield, Titans, Patriots, QBs
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag covers questions about the pending extension between the Buccaneers and their franchise quarterback, along with the Titans' and Patriots' respective outlooks and some of the top QB prospects for 2026.
Rick asks:
Baker Mayfield was in the MVP conversation in the first half of the season but has cooled off. The Buccaneers will probably still extend him; what do you think his deal will look like?
Mayfield first arrived in Tampa Bay on a one-year deal in 2023. That $4MM contract came at a time when his future as an NFL starter was in question, to say the least. He has surpassed expectations by a wide margin since then.
The Buccaneers made a three-year, $100MM investment in Mayfield last March. The returns on that deal have been strong as well, so the widespread expectation another pact will be finalized after the season makes plenty of sense. I would agree Mayfield’s value has (if anything) taken a slight dip in recent weeks – a stretch where the Bucs have been decimated by injuries, to be fair – but he should still be in store for a major payday.
Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon’s Job Security Still Uncertain
After beginning the season with a series of close losses, the Cardinals have struggled for much of their time after the bye week. Especially if things continue the way they have in recent games, head coach Jonathan Gannon‘s job security will become even more of a talking point. 
Arizona missed the playoffs during each of the first two years with Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort at the helm. Still, a four-win improvement took place from 2023 to last season. As such, expectations for further improvement in 2025 were reasonable. Instead, the Cardinals find themselves well out of playoff contention with a 3-10 record.
The closing month of the current campaign could prove to be critical with respect to how owner Michael Bidwill approaches the head coaching spot. As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes, Gannon and the Cardinals may need to win one or two games down the stretch for him to “reach solid footing” for 2026. Arizona’s season will end with games against Texans, Falcons, Bengals and Rams.
Once that slate of contests is over, a decision will need to be made regarding Gannon and Ossenfort’s future. Last month, Fowler and colleague Dan Graziano reported that pair was likely to be retained for at least one more season. The thinking behind that approach would be to allow the Gannon-Ossenfort regime to identify a new franchise quarterback beginning in the 2026 offseason. Kyler Murray will not return this year, and many expect a parting of ways to take place in his case.
Indeed, the latest ESPN piece includes Graziano predicting the Cardinals will allow the current HC-GM combo to remain intact. In that event, the team’s QB approach would be one of the league’s top offseason storylines. Murray is already owed $36.8MM in guarantees for next season, with a portion of his 2027 compensation currently scheduled to vest on March 22. By that date, there will likely be clarity regarding his future. A trade will be difficult to pull off given the finances of this situation, while veteran backup Jacoby Brissett (under contract for next year) could be viewed by suitors as an affordable bridge option.
If a new quarterback is to be drafted in April, it will mark the first time since Gannon and Ossenfort’s arrival that a rookie is added. The Cardinals are among the teams within reach of securing the No. 1 pick, although the final four weeks of the season leave plenty to be determined. The list of unanswered questions includes whether or not it will fall to Arizona’s current regime to decide on the team’s future under center.
CB Desmond King Retires
Desmond King‘s NFL career has come to an end. The veteran cornerback and return specialist took to X to announce his retirement. 
King has not played in 2025, and his retirement announcement confirms he will not look to make a late-season return to the league. Nearing his 31st birthday, he will instead turn his attention to his post-playing days. King saw time with five different franchises over the course of his eight-year career.
A Chargers fifth-round pick in 2017, his NFL tenure began in Los Angeles and remained there until a November 2020 trade. King was dealt from the Chargers to the Titans, the team with which he finished playing out his rookie contract. During his first trip to free agency, a one-year Texans pact was worked out. King operated as a defensive starter during his debut Houston campaign, and he did so again the following year upon re-upping with the team.
After being released shortly before the start of the 2023 season, King had a brief spell with the Steelers. That was followed by a return to Houston which covered the remainder of the campaign. In 2024, similarly, King was cut after training camp before making one appearance with the Texans. His final NFL games took place as a member of the Ravens while serving as the team’s punt returner. Third phase success was a key factor early in King’s career; the Iowa product earned first-team All-Pro acclaim in 2018 for his work as a returner.
In all, King made a combined total of 113 regular and postseason appearances during his time in the NFL. He departs the game with $14MM in career earnings.
Colts, QB Philip Rivers Agree To Deal
After a successful workout, Philip Rivers has lined up an unexpected comeback. The 44-year-old quarterback is set to finish the 2025 season with the Colts. 
Team and player agreed to a practice squad deal on Tuesday, as first reported by Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Indianapolis thus has an experienced (to say the least) option at the quarterback spot as the team looks to reach the playoffs. This move comes in the aftermath of Daniel Jones suffering an Achilles tear.
[RELATED: Riley Leonard Injury Could Move Rivers To Week 15 Start]
Rivers’ workout took place last night, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. He adds things went well, which has of course been confirmed by today’s signing. As the Colts plan their immediate future under center, they could find themselves relying on a passer whose last NFL game was played on January 9, 2021 relatively soon. Of course, that final Rivers contest came as a member of the Colts.
Following a storied Chargers career (which included time spent with current Colts head coach Shane Steichen), the eight-time Pro Bowler played his last NFL campaign with Indianapolis. That 2020 season produced a record of 11-5 and it marked the last time the Colts made the playoffs. If another postseason berth is to be possible this time around, Rivers could find himself playing a part.
Jones – added this past spring on a one-year free agent deal – enjoyed career highs in several categories prior to going down. A long-term Colts commitment may well have been on the horizon, but as his attention turns to recovery it remains to be seen if that will still come to bear. Meanwhile, backup Anthony Richardson is still on IR as he continues to deal with an orbital bone fracture. This Rivers signing is a strong indication Indianapolis feels Richardson will not be cleared to return any time soon.
That leaves Leonard and practice squad veteran Brett Rypien as the Colts’ other QB options. The team could stick with Leonard for at least one start, but with a record of 8-5 there is little (if any) margin for losses over the final month of the season. Deciding Rivers – who is now a grandfather – is the best path to a playoff berth would certainly represent an interesting choice on the part of Indianapolis. At a minimum, he will make for a notable taxi squad addition.
Whether or not the former NFL passing leader finds his way onto the active roster will be worth monitoring for a number of reasons. Rivers is currently in his first year of eligibility for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and he is among the 26 semifinalists for the 2026 class. As Rapoport notes, that will not change if Rivers remains on the practice squad. Should a promotion to the active roster take place, however, his five-year waiting period for HOF eligibility will reset. That will be the case regardless of if Rivers sees any playing time or not.
The Colts face a daunting schedule over the final stretch, with games remaining against the Seahawks, 49ers, Jaguars and Texans. Finding offensive success against each of those opponents will be challenging, but a comeback attempt from an unlikely passer could become part of Indianapolis’ 2025 season.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Week 14’s action brought about a few notable updates to the standings at both ends of the NFL’s conferences. Another four teams are officially out of playoff contention, while wins by Tennessee and New Orleans could prove to be rather important once the campaign has ended.
The Jets, Browns, Falcons and Commanders were eliminated from the postseason through the results of recent days. Of course, each of those teams have been out of the running for a playoff push for some time now. Still, that group will be worth watching closely over the closing four weeks of the season as the top-10 order for Day 1 of the draft gradually comes into focus.
Uncertainty regarding the quarterback class of 2026 will no doubt remain a talking point over the coming months. Fernando Mendoza strengthened his case to be QB1 in April’s draft, although it remains to be seen if other top signal-callers like Dante Moore and Ty Simpson will turn pro or elect to remain in school for one more season. Decisions on those fronts will be central storylines carrying significant implications for the teams near the top of the order which find themselves in need of a quarterback investment.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- New York Giants (2-11)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
- Tennessee Titans (2-11)
- Cleveland Browns (3-10)
- New Orleans Saints (3-10)
- Washington Commanders (3-10)
- New York Jets (3-10)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
- Minnesota Vikings (5-8)
- Miami Dolphins (6-7)
- Baltimore Ravens (6-7)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
- Carolina Panthers (7-6)
- Detroit Lions (8-5)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)
- Houston Texans (8-5)
- Chicago Bears (9-4)
- Buffalo Bills (9-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (9-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Seattle Seahawks (10-3)
- New England Patriots (11-2)
- Los Angeles Rams (10-3)
- Denver Broncos (11-2)
Buccaneers Place G Ben Bredeson On IR
The Buccaneers’ offensive line has been dealt another blow late in the year. Ben Bredeson will not be able to play again during the regular season. 
The veteran guard was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, per a team announcement. That means Bredeson will be sidelined for at least Tampa Bay’s four remaining games until the playoffs. If the Bucs manage to reach the postseason, getting Bredeson back would be key for an O-line which has dealt with several injuries throughout the year.
A knee injury suffered on Sunday caused Bredeson to exit Tampa Bay’s upset loss against New Orleans. Yesterday, Fox Sports’ Greg Auman noted how the sixth-year blocker was already in line to miss the Buccaneers’ upcoming Thursday night game. He indicated an IR stint was a possibility in this case. As such, today’s move comes as little surprise.
Nevertheless, Bredeson’s absence will be acutely felt. Tampa Bay has already been without starting right guard Cody Mauch since September, and he will not return this season. Graham Barton missed time at the start of the year, and Bredeson replaced him at center until his return. The latter has totaled 11 appearances in 2025, his second straight season as a full-time Buccaneers starter. Bredeson, 27, is under contract through 2027.
In his absence, Auman predicts Tampa Bay will continue with a guard tandem of Michael Jordan and Dan Feeney moving forward. In other words, the 7-6 team will need to rely on a far different setup at that position than it envisioned at the start of the year. The struggling Buccaneers are tied with the Panthers for top spot in the NFC South as things stand, so a playoff berth is far from assured.
In a corresponding move, linebacker Nick Jackson has been signed from Tampa’s practice squad to the active roster. Jackson made a pair of appearances in September, and he will now be in position to contribute on special teams down the stretch.